Ch 6 - Ch 10

Revolutionary War Era and Constitutional Formation
  • Sons of Liberty: A secret organization formed in the American colonies in response to the Stamp Act of 1765. They used various methods, including boycotts, protests, and acts of intimidation (like tarring and feathering), to oppose British taxation and policies deemed unjust. Key figures included Samuel Adams and John Hancock, and their actions spurred greater colonial resistance.
  • Actual and Virtual representation: These terms highlight a core conflict between the colonies and Britain.
    • Actual Representation: The colonial argument that only representatives directly elected by the people of a specific region could legitimately levy taxes on them. American colonists believed their colonial assemblies held this right.
    • Virtual Representation: The British argument that Parliament represented the interests of all British subjects, including those in the colonies, regardless of whether they had directly elected members to Parliament. The British believed Parliament acted in the best interest of the entire empire.
  • Townshend Duties (1767): A series of acts passed by the British Parliament that imposed indirect taxes on imports such as lead, glass, paints, paper, and tea. The goal was to raise revenue in the colonies to pay the salaries of governors and judges and to assert British authority. These duties led to renewed colonial boycotts and increased tensions, culminating in events like the Boston Massacre.
  • Committees of Correspondence (established 1772 onwards): Networks of communication organized by Patriot leaders throughout the colonies. Initially created by Samuel Adams in Massachusetts, these committees facilitated the exchange of information and coordinated colonial resistance against British policies, helping to unify the colonies leading up to the Revolution.
  • Coercive Acts (1774, aka Intolerable Acts): A series of punitive laws enacted by the British Parliament in response to the Boston Tea Party. They included: closing Boston Harbor, altering the Massachusetts charter to reduce self-governance, allowing British officials accused of crimes to be tried in Britain, and expanding the Quartering Act. Intended to punish Massachusetts and deter other colonies, they instead united the colonies in opposition.
  • First Continental Congress (1774): Delegates from twelve of the thirteen colonies (Georgia absent) met in Philadelphia to discuss a unified response to the Coercive Acts. They issued a Declaration of Rights and Grievances, called for a complete boycott of British goods (the Continental Association), and agreed to meet again if grievances were not addressed.
  • Second Continental Congress (1775-1781): Convened after the battles of Lexington and Concord. It assumed the functions of a national government, establishing the Continental Army and appointing George Washington as its commander, issuing currency, and managing the war effort. It also drafted the Olive Branch Petition and, after its rejection, famously issued the Declaration of Independence in July 1776.
  • The Articles of Confederation (Ratified 1781): The first governing document of the United States. It established a weak central government with a unicameral legislature (Congress) and no independent executive or judiciary. The national government lacked the power to levy taxes, regulate interstate commerce, or enforce laws effectively, leading to economic instability and an inability to address national crises like Shays' Rebellion.
  • Shays’ Rebellion (1786-1787): An armed uprising of debt-ridden farmers in western Massachusetts, led by Daniel Shays. The rebellion protested high taxes, foreclosures, and an unresponsive state government. It highlighted the critical weaknesses of the Articles of Confederation, particularly the central government’s inability to maintain order, and fueled calls for a stronger federal government leading to the Constitutional Convention.
  • The Virginia Plan (1787): Proposed by James Madison at the Constitutional Convention, it advocated for a strong national government with a bicameral (two-house) legislature. Representation in both houses would be proportional to each state's population. It also called for a strong executive and judiciary and favored larger states.
  • The New Jersey Plan (1787): Proposed by William Paterson at the Constitutional Convention, this plan countered the Virginia Plan. It called for a unicameral (one-house) legislature where each state had equal representation, similar to the Articles of Confederation. It favored smaller states and proposed a weaker executive and more limited national powers.
  • Federalists (Constitutional Era): Supporters of the ratification of the U.S. Constitution and, later, a strong central government with policies promoting commerce, manufacturing, and national unity. Key figures included Alexander Hamilton, James Madison (initially), and John Jay.
  • Antifederalists: Opponents of the ratification of the U.S. Constitution. They feared that a strong central government would suppress states' rights and individual liberties, potentially leading to tyranny. They generally advocated for a weaker federal government and demanded a Bill of Rights to protect individual freedoms.
  • The Federalist Papers (1787-1788): A series of 85 essays written by Alexander Hamilton, James Madison, and John Jay under the pseudonym